Automatic die-press.



BVW. TUCKER.

AUTOMATIC DIE PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.- 27, 1909.

980,028. Patented Dec.27,1910.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' o 11 Hg 0 :33 72 27 214- 67 o :63 o0 I 2; 0 -0 71 70 7a 132 THE NORRISPETERS ca, wAsnmnroN. D c.

B; W; TUCKER.

AUTOMATIG' DIE PRESS. I

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1909,

980,028, 7 Patented Dec. 27, 19.10.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE nmRms PETERS cu" WASHINGTON. n. c

B. W. TUCKER.

AUTOMATIC DIE PRESS.

APPLICATION rum) ran. 27, 1909.

Patented, Dec. 27, 1910.

14 BEEEIS-BEEET 3 TETE.

m 0% JMW to'wwqv n1: "on": PBTIRS cm. wisummw. b. c.

0 1 9 I 2 0 e D d w n a D 4 T E E m B T E E E 5 A 1 0 a w z. 1 6 3 m 5 HM m 9 0 L o z a I F 2 u T 3 a In 1 y 4 a o O .M/ 6 7 2 z 1% A 1. P I 8 ZJ 4 I 6 v a v 1 7 7 3 b H 0 3 6 3 5 1 a, s n 1 1 fl a m 3 1 f n a 1 0' tl'l l u l 5 1 w A I 0 3. 5 \uu 51 TI\ "1| q. 0 n m 1 d m u t I 1 1 a nw/K r 7 a M r 1 o o 1 I09. 1, lb 7 1 a am n. a W[ 8 G 1 m M o o 1 L i v aM H rut NORRIS IITIRS :a-. wlsniumuu. n. c.

B. W. TUCKER.

AUTOMATIC DIE PRESS. APPLIOATION FILED 123.21, 1909.

980,028. Patented Dec.27,1910.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

@YCOY] imYfl THE Remus PETERS ca., ulAsl-umznm, n. c.

B. W. TUCKER.

AUTOMATIC DIE PRESS. APPLICATION FILED Ema 27, 1909.

Patented 1160.27, 1910.

14 SHBETB-SHEET 6.

THE norm]: PETERS 00-, wAsnmaraN, n. a.

B. vm TUCKER.

AUTOMATIG DIE PRESS.

APPLICATION IILEDTEB. 2'7, 1909.

980,028, Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

14 SHEETSBHEBT 7.

Q, QAQLAW 331 attic (M24 THE NORRIS PETERS ca., WASHINGTON n, c.

B. W. TUCKER. AUTOMATIC DIE PRESS.

APPLIOATION TILED IEB- 27, 19.00. 980,028.

Patented Dec. 27,- 1910.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

B; W. TUCKER.

AUTOMATIC DIE PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1909.

Patented Dec.27, 1910.

14 SHBETB-SHEET 9.

wuewboz 9/ a d attozwu w wi/liww/wg 1 K ms uaams 511s: cm, wnsnma'rau,n. c.

B. W. TUCKER.

AUTOMATIC DIE PRESS.

APPLICATION 21mm FEB. 27, 1909.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

14 SKEETB'SBIEBT 10.

THE NoRRls PETERS cu, wnsumcmrv, 0. c.

B; w. TUCKER. I AUTOMATIO DIE PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED. FEB. 27, 1909.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

Manna-sum 11 ma ma x B. W. TUCKER.

AUTOMATIC DIE PRESS.

APPLIOATION FILED 123.27, 1909.

980,028. Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

14 SHEETB-BHEET 12.

. TUCKER.

AUTOMATIC DIE PRESS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1909.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 13.

351 Elihu ma r1: NORRIS PETERS ca, WASHINGTON, n. c

B. W. TUCKER.

AUTOMATIC DIE PRESS APPLICATION FILED F3127, 1909.

Patented Dec 27, 1910.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 14.

71-1: NDERIS PETERS ca., WASHINGTON, n. c.

BENJAMIN W. TUCKER, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC DIE-PRESS.

Application filed February 27 1909.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN V. TUCKER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of South Orange, county of Essex, and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticDie- Presses, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates more particularly to a press for automaticallycutting collars,

cuffs, shirt bosoms and the like from a plurality of layers of fabric.

The primary object of the invention is to provide means whereby a die isadapted to be reciprocated, and at each reciprocating to cut a pluralityof blanks from a number of layers of fabric, and to automatically feedthe die a certain distance corresponding to its size transversely of areciprocatory support or platen, and then to automatically reverse thedirection of movement of the die to cause the same to return to itsstarting point so that the cutting of the blanks may be entirelyautomatic, thus overcoming the objections incident to the ordinarymethod of cutting blanks by hand or by shifting and moving the die byhand each time a platen is reciprocated as is the practice according toone method of cutting such blanks.

Other objects of the invention are to provide simple and efficient meansfor automatically feeding the layers of fabric forward after the die hasmoved across its support, and to so time the fabric-feeding means withrelation to the movement of the die that the layers of fabric will beproperly fed in position to be cut; to provide simple and efficientmeans for moving the die transversely of its platen or support, and

to provide simple and efficient means for varying the distance ofmovement of the die according to the size thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and eflicient meansfor adjusting the fabric feed according to the length or size of thedie, and to provide means for varying the throw of the die so that themachine will be adapted to cut difierent sizes of collars, cuffs, bosomsof shirts etc.

a A further object of the invention is to provide simple and eflicientmeans for starting the machine, and which is so connected to theoperating parts of the fabric feed and the die feed that it isimpossible for the die Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

Serial No. 480,397.

or the cloth feed to be operated at the same time.

A still further object of the invention is to provide simple andefficient mechanism which is adapted to be employed in connection withthe ordinary form of die press or stamping machine.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinaftermore particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawingswhich form a part of this specification, and will then be pointed out inthe claims at the end of the description.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of one form of machine orpress embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view, showing a part ofthe fabric feed bro-ken away. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing themain drive shaft in section, the said section being taken on a lineIII-III of Fig. 1. Fig. 41 is a vertical section, partly in elevation,taken on a line IVIV of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation showing thefabric feed and means for adjusting the same. Fig. 6 is a fragmentaryplan view of a part of the means for feeding the fabric. Fig. 7 is aside elevation, partly in section, of a part of the fabric-feeding meansshown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section showing a part of thefabric-carrying chain. Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the chain shownin Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a plan view,

partly in section, of a part of the fabricfeeding means. Fig. 11 is aside elevation of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a transverse section taken on thelines XIIXII of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is an enlarged side elevation, partlyin section and partly broken away, of the lower part of the machine.Figs. 14 to 18 are detail views of a part of the starting mechanism.Fig. 19 is a sectional view, of a part of the starting mechanism, takenon the line XIX-XIX of Fig. 20. Fig. 20 is an elevation of a part of thestarting mechanism. Fig. 21 is a fragmentary plan view of a part ofthe'mechanism for feeding the die and the fabric. Fig. 22 is a fragmentary front elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 21. Fig. 23 is anenlarged fragmentary side elevation looking from the side of the machineshown in Fig. 8. Figs. 24 and 25 show one form of clutch that may beused in connection with the die and fabric-feed mechanism. Fig. 26 is afragmentary view,

partly in section and partly in elevation, showing means for causingeither the die or fabric-feed mechanism to be operated. Figs. 27 and 28are detail views of a part of the mechanism for operating the clutchdogs shown in Fig. 26. Fig. 29 is a fragmentary side elevation of a partofv the mechanism shown in Fig. 26, the said parts being in a positionoccupied when the die feed is operating. Fig. 30 shows the position ofthe mechanism shown in Fig. 29 when the fabric feed is to be operated.Fig. 31 shows the dog of the fabric-feed clutch in a tripped position sothat the fabric-feed may be operated. Fig. 32 is a fragmentary plan ofthe front portion of the machine. Fig. 33 is an enlarged fragmentaryfront elevation of a part of the upper structure of the machine. Fig. 34is a vertical section taken on a line XXXIV-XXXIV of Fig. 33. Fig. 35 isa vertical section taken on a line XXXV of Fig. 34, showing a part ofthe mechanism for regulating the feed of the die according to the sizethereof. Fig. 36 is a vertical section taken 011 the line XXXVI of Fig.34, showing the means for reversing the action of the die-feed pawls.Figs. 37 and 38 are detail views of blanks or plates which may be heldto a part of the mechanism to reverse the direction of movement of thedie according to the size thereof and its distance of feed at eachstep-by-step movement. Fig. 39 is an enlarged transverse section of themechanism and adjusting means of the feed for the die as shown in Fig.34. Fig. 40 is a sectional plan, partly in elevation, taken on a lineXLXL of Fig. 41, and showing a part of the reversing mechanism of thedie. Fig. 41 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a part of thereversing mechanism shown in Fig. 40. Fig. 42 is an enlarged sectionalplan of a part of the die-feed mechanism. Fig. 43 is a vertical sectiontaken on a line XLIIIXLIII of Fig. 42, showing a part of the clutch feedfor the die in an inoperative'or neutral position. Fig. 44 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 43 except that the clutch is in one position to operatethe shaft in one direction. Fig. 45 is a section of a part of thefabric-feed mechanism. Fig. 46 is a sectional plan of a part of thedie-feed mechanism. Fig. 47 is a fragmentary section, partly inelevation, of a part of the die-feed operating mechanism. Fig. 48 is anenlarged fragmentary section taken on the line XLVIIIXLVH1 of Fig.13,sh0wing the fabric feed and its adjusting mechanism. Fig. 49 is afragmentary sect-ion, partly in elevation, of one form of ratchet feedthat may be used for rotating the fabric-feed shaft. Fig. 50 is a.detail perspective view of one of the clutch or ratchet dogs shown inFig. 49. Fig. 51 is a sectional plan view through the eccentric rods issupported to move transversely of the,

support. 'Fig. is a transverse section taken on the line LVLV of Fig. 51showing the die held in position. Fig. 56 is an inverted plan view ofthe platen or die support. Fig. 57 is a transverse section, partly inelevation, of the means for adjustably holding the die to the platen orsupport. Fig. 58 is a plan view looking at the top of one forn of die.Fig. 59 is an end elevation, partly in section, of the die shown in Fig.58. Fig. 60 is a fragmentary side elevation of the die shown in Figs. 58and 59. Figs. 61 and 62 are plan and side views respectively and meansfor adjusting the die-operating chains. Fig. 63 is a transverse sectiontaken on a line LXHILX1II of Fig. 64, showing the block which enters thedie to move the same transversely of the machine; and Fig. 64 is afragmentary side elevation of the die-operating chain.

l/Vhile I shall show and describe the invention as applied to awell-known form of die or stamping press in which there is areciprocating platen, it is to be understood that the form ofconstruction of press and operating mechanism therefor may be varied,and the construction of machine changed to adapt it for the purpose forwhich it is intended without departing from the character of theinvention.

The frame 10 is provided with an upwardly extending part 11, and in saidpart 11 is rotatably held a shaft 12, on one end of which is a fly-wheelpulley 13, but rotatable independent thereof, and this flywheel pulleyis adapted to rotate the shaft through a suitable clutch, not shown,which may be of the usual one revolution knifeclutch kind and which isadapted to place the pulley and shaft in connection so as to rotate inunison when the rod or stem 14 is moved as is usual in this constructionof die presses. On the shaft 12 are eccentrics which are operativelyconnected by the rods 15 to a platen, head or support 16, and thissupport is guided at its ends-in the machine frame so as to bereciprocated as the shaft 12 is rotated, and adapted to be held to thesupport or platen 16 is a die 17 which is adapted to cut the blanks fromthe layers of fabric or material placed over the cutting block 18forming a bed for the material under the die support. The die may havethe usual ejecting means for forcing the blanks therefrom after they arecut, and said die as well as the other parts referred to may be of theusual or of any preferred construction.

The fabric from which the collars, cuffs and the like are cut, isarranged in any desired way to provide a number of superposed layers, asfor example forty-eight or ninety-six pieces, or of any other desirednumber, and these layers of the entire width of the fabric are placedover the wooden cutting block 18, as will be hereinafter described, andat each reciprocation of the cutting die a number of blanks will be cutfrom the fabric according to the number of layers, and as the size ofcollars, cuffs and the bosoms of shirts and the like vary from eachother, it is necessary or desirable to adapt the machine to permitvarious sizes of dies to be employed.

The machine as shown is constructed to automatically feed the die alongthe under surface of the platen or support 16 with a step-by-stepmovement, and at the edge of the fabric'to reverse the direction ofmovement of the die so that it will return to its former position andback again until the desired number of blanks have been cut, the die ineach instance ejecting the blanks therefrom by the usual means providedin dies of this character.

To hold the die, or different sizes of dies, to the platen or support 16and to automatically feed the same across the platen, I provide meansfor removably holding the die and for carrying the same across theplaten and for feeding the die in either direction automatically. Forthis purpose various means may be employed. As shown, Figs. 51 to 64,the platen 16 is provided with guides 19 so that the same may beproperly held in the frame during the reciprocating movement thereof,and on the under side of the platen two transverse grooves 20 and 21 areprovided. Each die 17 is made hollow as usual, and may be provided witha wooden block 22, and to the block at opposite sides of the centerthereof are the slides or devices 23 which have overhanging lips 24, andsaid slides 23 are adapted to move along the grooves 20 and 21- of theplaten or support 16. A bar 25, Figs. 54, 55 and 57, extends along oneedge of each of the longitudinal grooves 20 and 21, and to each bar isheld a plurality of rods 26 which are arranged at an angle so that whenforced outwardly they will be thrown at an angle with respectto thevertical center of the platen, in order that the inner edge of said barsmay be thrown away from the die. Each bar or gib 25 has its inner edgeadapted to engage under the lip 24 of the slide or device 23 and servenormally to hold the die to the platen so as to be reciprocatedtherewith but in such a way as to permit the die to be moved along theunder face of the platen, and when the bars 25 are moved outwardly, thedie may be removed or attached to the platen or another die quicklyplaced in its stead. Each of the rods 26 is connected by a link 27 toan. arm 28, and said arms 28 are held to a shaft 29, and on said shaftis a worm gear 30 which is engaged by a worm 31, one for each worm gear,there being two parallel shafts 29, and on the shaft 32 of the worms isan operating handle or hand wheel 33 by which the shaft 32 may berotated and thereby quickly force the bars or gibs 25 outwardly topermit the removal or the insertion of the die and to hold the sameproperly to the platen, the said shaft 32 being properly supported torotate in a bracket 34 and in a transverse rib or web 35 of the platen.

A transverse bar or gripping member 36 is carried by the platen orsupport 16, and this bar is held to a plurality of upwardlyextendingrods 37, around the stem 38 of which are arranged springs 39. Thesprings 39 are each located in a recess in a boss 40 on the platen, andsaid springs normally force the bar 36 downward, the downward movementbeing limited by a nut or collar 41, arranged upon each of the rods 37.The bar or gripping member 36 is adapted to engage the cloth or fabricin advance of the die and during the reciprocation thereof, to properlyhold the fabric as the blanks are being cut during the withdrawal of thedie.

As means for movingthe die transversely of the support or platen 16, Iprovide two endless chains 42 and 43 forming members of a die carrier.The chain 42 is passed around the sprocket wheels 44 and 44 at each endof the platen, and the chain 43 passes around the sprocket wheels 45 and45 similarly located to the sprockets 44 and 44, but on opposite sidesof the center of the platen. The sprocket wheels 44 are secured to theshaft 46, the sprocket wheels 44 to ently described, the chains will begiven a like movement to carry the die therewith. Each chain 42 and 43is provided with a lug or extension 50, Figs. 63 and 64, and these lugsare adapted to fit in an opening 51 formed in each of the slides ordevices 23, and said chains may have their ends joined together by aturn-buckle connection, as 52, to adjust the chains, the latter being ofthe usual or of any suitable construction. The chains" are so positionedas to fit in the groove 53 of the slides 23 of the die and to extendalong the grooves 20 and 21 of the the die.

The shafts 46 and 48 on their outer ends are provided with bevel gears55 which mesh with similar gears 56 arranged on the vertical shafts '57and 58. These shafts 57 and 58 are suitably journaled at one end inbrackets on the platen, and at their upper ends are guided in brackets59 extending outward from the bed or frame 60 which is suitably held tothe transverse beam or brace 61 of the machine frame, as shown best inFigs. 1, 3 and 4, a hand wheel 61 being provided to manually positionthe die by operating one of said shafts, as the shaft 58. A gear 62 hasa spline and feather connection with each of the shafts 57 and 58, andeach of said gears is held to rotate in one of the brackets 59 so as topermit the shafts to be reciprocated with the platen and to be rotatedwhen the gears are rotated. Each gear 62 is in mesh with a bevel gear 63which is held to rotate with a longitudinally-extending shaft 64suitably journaled in the upper frame or frame member 60, and said shaft64 is provided with a pinion 65 which is in mesh with a larger gear 66,Figs. 4, 32 to 34. The gear 66 is loosely held to a shaft 67 and thisshaft is provided with an arm 68 which is connected by an eccentric rod69 to be operated by an eccentric carried by the shaft 70. A bevel gear71 is heldto the shaft and meshes with a similar bevet gear 72, Fig. 32,and said gear 72 is held to one end of a shaft 73 extendinglongitudinally of the machine, and suitably journaled on the upper framemember or support 60.-

The shaft 73 is provided with a gear 74 which is loose on said shaft,but which may be made to rotate the latter as will be hereinafterdescribed, and meshing with the gear 74 is a pinion 75 which is held torotate with the fly-wheel pulley 76. This pulley 76 and pinion 75 areheld to rotate loosely on a shaft 77, and said pulley 76 by suitableclutch mechanisms to be described later, may be made to rotate either ofthe shafts 77 or 73, and when said shaft 73 is rotated the eccentric rod69 will be caused to rock the shaft 67 within the gear 66, the fly-wheelpulley 76 being adapted to be independently rotated of the fly-wheel 13of the die platen, and much faster than the latter fly wheel, as forexample, in a ratio of six to one or otherwise.

" The gear 66 is adapted to be rotated in either direct-ion in orderthat the shafts car- 'rying the die-operating chains and the die may bemoved in either direction, and with a step-by-step movement. To effectthis I provide the gear 66, Figs. 32 to 35, Fig. 39, and Figs. 42 to 44,with a recess 78 forming a boss 78* in which is adapted to move a clutchor cam block 79. This clutch block 79 is adapted to fit into the recess78, and when shifted laterally may be made to engage the inner surfaceof the boss 78 to cause the gear 66 to rotate in either directionaccording to which way the clutch block 79 is shifted and moved. Theclutch block is provided with a recess or opening therethrough in whichis adapted to move an eccentric sleeve 80 forming with the collar 81 aneccentric device from which projects outwardly a ratchet member 82, Fig.47, having two engaging parts or teeth 83 and 84 which are adapted to beengaged by the pawls 85 and 86, respectively, according to whichdirection the ratchet member 82 is to be moved. The member 82 hassubstantially the form of a segment and is adapted to move the eccentricdevice when engaged by either of the pawls 85 or 86 and will causev theeccentric block 79 to rotate the gear 66, and said pawls 85 and 86 arecarried by the arms 87 and 88 respectively, forming to gethersubstantially a bell-crank lever which is keyed to the shaft 67 so thatwhen said shaft is oscillated by the eccentric, the rod 69 through theshaft 70, will impart a stepby-step movement to the gear 66 and themechanism connected therewith to move the die across the platen orsupport.

The clutch member or block 79 has a pinion or toothed collar 89 securedthereto, and to the eccentric device is secured a similar pinion ortoothed collar 90. Each of these pinions or toothed collars are engagedby the teeth of a segment 91, Figs. 46 and 47, and these segments areheld to a shaft 92. A second segment 93 is movable with each of thesegments 91 and each segment 93 is in mesh wit-h a rack-bar 94, one endof which is adapted to move in a device 95. The device 95 has twocylinders 96 and 97, one for each rod or rack bar, and in each cylinderis arranged a spring 98 which extends around one end of the rack-bar 94between the sleeves or collars 99 and 100. The sleeves or pistons 99 and100 are slidably held in the cylinders and have a limited movementbetween the heads 101 and 102, and on the rack-bars are collars 103 and104 which are adapted to alternately engage the collars or pistons 99and 100 and compress the springs 98 when the ratchet member 82 and theclutch block or member 79 are moved, and said means serve to restore theratchet memher and the clutch block to their normal positions, thenormal position of the clutch block 79 being shown in Fig. 43 entirelydisengaged from the boss of the gear 66.

A second bell-crank lever 105 is secured to the shaft 67, and this leveris substantially the same as the lever formed by the arms 87 and 88which carry the pawls 85 and 86, and said lever has the arms 106 and107, Figs. 36

and 39, which are adapted to move with the feed pawls. The shafts orstuds 108 carrying the feed pawls connect the arms of the two bell-cranklevers together, and normally forcing the pawls inwardly are springs 109which are arranged around said shafts. The bell-crank lever formed bythe arms 87 and 88, and the bell-crank lever 105 form a frame for theshafts 108, on which are the pawls 85 and 86 and the arms 113 and 114,and both bell-crank levers are keyed to the shaft 67 and rock therewith.A cam plate or memher 110 is located adjacent to the bell-crank lever105, and said cam plate is adapted to reverse the direction of movementof the die by causing either of the pawls 85 or 86 to engage the ratchetmember 82 according to the direction the die is to be moved. Thisreversing cam plate 110 forms substantially two segments extending onopposite sides of the shaft 67 and is loosely mounted on said shaft, andhas its cam edges or faces 111 adapted to move in the path of rolls 112carried by arms 113 and 114. The arms 113 and 114 are secured to thestuds or shafts 108 to move with the pawls held to said shafts, and whenthe cam plate is in the position shown in Fig. 36, the arm 114 will beper mitted to move inwardly and thereby allow the pawl 86 to engage thetooth 84 of the ratchet member 82, while the pawl 85 is held in aninoperative posit-ion by reason of the cam edge 110 raising the arm 113and thereby holding the pawl 85 in position to oscillate withoutengaging the tooth 83 of the ratchet member 82. By this means it will beseen that the ratchet member 82 may be moved in either directionaccording to which pawl 85 or 86 engages the same, and that saidmovement of the member 82 will impart a like movement to the cuttingdie.

The dies are of different sizes for various sizes of collars, cuffs andthe like, and these dies differ from each other, and if the machine isadapted for cutting these difierent sizes of the same article, as wellas different articles, the feed of the die must be correspondinglyvaried. As one means to accomplish this result, I arrange between thebellcrank lever 105 and the bell-crank lever carrying the pawls 85 and86, two oppositely moving cams 115 and 116. These cams,

"Figs. 35 and 39, are each adapted to be engaged by rolls 117 carried byarms 118 held to the studs 108, and said cams are held to rotate onbosses or sleeve portions of the pawl-carrying bell-crank levers. Thecams 115 and 116 have a rise suflicient to lift the pawls away from theengaging teeth 83 and 84 of the ratchet member 82, and each of said camsare provided with a segmental gear portion 119, the teeth of which areopposed to each other and are engagedby a bevel gear 120 which is heldto rotate with the worm gear 121 movable about the shaft or stud 122. Awornr123 engages the worm gear 121, and this worm is held to a shaft 124on the outer end of which is an operating handle 125. The shaft 124 isthreaded for a part of its distance, as at 126, and movable along theshaft is a pointer 127, and adjacent to the pointer 127 is a dial orregister 128 indicating the distance the cams 115 and 116 are to bemoved and consequently the throw of the die according to the sizethereof. As will be seen when the shaft 124 is rotated, the worm 123will rotate the worm gear 121 and through itthe bevel gear 120, and thisbevel gear by engaging the teeth of the segmental portions 119 willthrow the cams 115 and 116 in opposite directions so as to permit theworking pawl, whichever it may be, to engage the ratchet member 82 andmove the same a certain distance according to how far the rolls 117travel along the cams 115 and 116 without being raised to release thepawls. By this means a very quick and positive adjustment may be madefor various sizes of dies according to the distance the same is to befed and the character of the die.

To automatically reverse the direction of movement of the die throughthe mechanism already described, by .moving the cam plate or device 110to raise either of the pawls 85 or 86 from engagement with the teeth ofthe ratchet member 82, I secure to said cam plate 110 a toothed collaror pinion 129, Fig. 36, which is in mesh with the segment 130 held to ashaft 131. On the shaft 131 is a bell-crank lever 132, one arm of which,as 133, is connected by a link 134, to an arm 135 which is held to moveloosely on the hub of a gear 137.

The arm 135 is provided with an engaging part 138, and this part 138 isadapted to be engaged by a plate 139 held to rotate with the gear 137,and said gear is in mesh with a pinion or smaller gear 140 carried bythe shaft 64 of the die-feed mechanism, so that as the die isautomatically fed, the plate 139 will be given a movement so as toengage the stop 138 of the arm 135 and rock the shaft 131 by means ofthe link 134 and bellcrank lever 132, and through it the segment 130 soas to throw the cam 110 in the direction to reverse or shift theposition of the cam surface 111 and thereby force the previously workingpawl into a non-engaging position and permit the former blank pawltobecome the working pawl. When the bell-crank lever 132 is shifted inthe opposite direction as will be presently described, the cam platewill be operated in a reverse direction and again shift the feed pawlsso that the die will be fed in an opposite direction, thus continuing tooperate the die back and forth across the platen or sup port with astep-by-step movement so long as the machine is in operation. The camplate and connections therewith also serve as a safety device to releasethe diefeed pawls and compensate for any 'discr'ep ancy in the feed ofthe die.

The bell-crank lever 132 carries a springpressed pin 141 which ispointed so as to engage a depression 142, Figs. 40 and 4:1, in a part ofthe machine frame so as to frictiona-lly hold the said lever againstmovement when in a certain position, except when operated through themechanism connected therewith, and where different dies are used it isnecessary that the arm 135 be operated sooner in some instances than inothers, and to effect this different sizes of plates are provided asshown in Figs. 37 and 38,

which are adapted to be held to the seat 1453 p on the gear 137requiring thereby less rotary movement of said gear 137 in some casesthan others according to the cutting die used.

The shaft 73 is provided with a clutch mechanism 144 of any suitableconstruction which is adapted to lock the gear 7 e to said shaft tooperate the die feed, and a similar or other clutch mechanism 145 isarranged on the shaft 77 to cause a rotary movement to be imparted tosaid shaft in a certain direction, the said clutch mechanism to behereinafter referred to, and certain members of these clutch mechanismsare provided with the gears 1&6 and M7 so that they may rotate in unisonand continuously. By means of the gears 7i and 75, the shaft 77 will beback geared from the pulley 76, and the clutch mechanism 145 and shaft77 are adapted to automatically operate the cloth or fabric feed as willbe hereinafter more particularly referred to.

To automatically feed the fabric or material and to properly support thesame under the die in position to be cut, I arrange on the end of theshaft 77 a sprocket wheel 1458, and connect the same by a sprocket chain1i9 to a sprocket located on a shaft 151 journaled in a frame member152. The shaft 151, Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 13, is pro vided at one end withan arm 153 carrying trunnions 15a and a locking member 155 forming onemember of a Geneva movement, and said 'trunnions are adapted to engagethe slotted wheel 156 to impart a ste bystep movement thereto and to agear 157, the'said slotted Wheel forming the second member of the Genevmovement. The fabric as before stated is arranged in a num ber of layers:and is fed in a long web of layers to the machine and is supported onan endless apron or carrier in the usual manner, which carrier at oneend passes around a drum 1-59 jo-u-rnaled in the frame member 152. Onthe shaft 160 of the apron drum 159, 4 8., is loosely held a gear 161which is in mesh with the gear 157 of the Geneva movement, and this gearis held to face of the support or an outwardly.pro=jecting arm 162, inthe outer end of which is held a stud 163 on one end of which is a pawl164 which is adapted to engage a projecting tooth 165 of a ratchetmechanism 166, the said pawl being nor- :mally forced in one directionby a spring 166 This ratchet mechanism may be of any suitableconstruction, and as shown is of the usual form of dog clutch which isadapted to intermittently rotate the shaft 1'60. The tooth 'or arm 165extends outwardly from a disk member 1 66 and the hub of said member isprovided with notches 167 which are engaged by the inner ends of thedogs 1.68, and these dogs are provided with slots 169 of such form thatthey will pass over the rim :176 of a d im-like ratchet or clutch member171 and cause'tlre drum member to be moved thereby when the dogs aremoved one direction. These dogs 168 are each normally forced in onedirect-ion by a spring 172 fastened to the dog at one end and to a pin17 3 carried by the toothed disk member 166, so that when the member 166is moved by the pawl 164C, a similar in termi'ttent movement will beimparted to the drum member 171, and as said member is fixed to theshaft 160 it will impart a corresponding movement to said shaft. Apinion 174 is held to the toothed member 166, and this pinion is engagedby a segment 17 5 which is held to a stud 176. On the stud 176 is an arm177-, and to this arm is connect-ed a rod 17 8, Figs. 13 and i5, andthis rod 178 has a piston 17-9 held to one end thereof which is movablein a cylinder 180. This cylinder 180 is pivoted at 181 to the machineframe member 152, and this casing is provided with a cap each end, andbetween one of the caps and the piston is a spring 182 which normallyforces the piston and arm in one direction, so that when the member 166is forced by the pawl to impart a movement to the shaft 160 through thedrum member 171, the segment through the spring 181 will force thetoothed member 166 back to its normal position ready to be again engagedby the pawl 164:. By this means the apron drum and the apron will begiven a stepby-step movement by the ratchet mechanism and the Genevamovement already described, and this will feed the fabric forward acertain distance according to the' throw of the ratchet mechanism.

As with the feed of the die the feed of the fabric must vary accordingto the size of the die and the length or distance the layers of clothare to be moved each time the die has been moved the entire distanceacross the platen 16. This may be accomplished in various ways. As shownbest in Figs. 4, 13 and 48, the stud or shaft 163 carrying the pawl 164has on its end opposite the said pawl an arm 183, on

one end of which may be arranged a roll 7

